What started as a fun community activity has reportedly been threatened by scammers.
A game called Hidden Cash Kansas provided residents with clues on where to find hidden cash around their cities. According to a report by Fox4 KC, a Twitter account, HiddenCashKS, provided the clues, but the woman behind the game, Kayla Lawson, said some are trying to take advantage of the game.
Lawson said fakes are creating their own accounts to fool people into donating money and gift cards that they just keep for themselves. It’s gotten more dangerous than that, however, according to Lawson one scammer told the winner of one Hidden Cash game to meet him in a secluded area to claim the prize.
“We don’t want somebody to get hurt – that’s the last thing we want,” Lawson said.
Fox4 KC reported that police suggest having a plan and keeping your guard up.
“Ultimately you’re at their mercy,” said Jason Cooley with KCMO Police. “If you lower your guard, and you’re not prepared with a plan, then you’re at risk.”
Cooley said parents should talk with their kids about stranger danger, supervise them online, and to go with them on money drops, while avoiding unfamiliar neighborhoods.
“If you think about it, somebody’s offering you $100, that $100 pales in comparison to the value of you and your safety, and your life,” Cooley said.
Click here to see the Hidden Cash KS Twitter account. Below is a tweet from the woman behind @HiddenCashKS trying to keep the game going safely amidst the scams and fake accounts.
